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PHILOSOPHICAL MASTERS OF ANCIENT CHINAProf. Thomas A. Wilson

••Office: KJ 128••Office hours: M 4-5; W 2-3••History 333•Spring 2004

•••Class hours: TR 10:30-11:45•••Class room: CUPR 203•••

Required text for purchase:The Analects of Confucius, Arthur Waley, trans. (Vintage Books, 1938; Reprint edition)Mencius, D.C. Lau, trans. (Penguin Classics Viking Press; Reprint edition)The Classic of the Way and Virtue: Tao te ching of Laozi as Interpreted by Wang Bi, Richard

Lynn, trans. (Columbia University Press)Chuang Tzu: The Seven Inner Chapters (aka Zhuangzi), A.C. Graham, trans. (Hackett Publishing

Co.)

• electronic reserve•R• regular reserve: required background reading for those without background in early China

Course introduction 1/20

1. Ancient Shamanism & Spirit Possession 1/22• “Shamanism and Politics,” in K.C. Chang, Art, Myth, and Ritual: The Path to Political

Authority in Ancient China (Harvard, 1983), 44-55• Derk Bodde, “Myths of Ancient China,” in Noah Kramer, ed., Mythologies of the Ancient

World (Anchor Books, 1961), 369-408• David Keightley “Shamanism, Death, and the Ancestors: Religious Mediation in Neolithic and

Shang China (ca. 5000-1000 B.C.),” Asiatische Studien Etutes Asiatiques 52 (1998) 3: 763-831 Songs of the South (Chuci)

• “Nine Songs,” The Songs of the South, David Hawkes, trans. (Penguin Books, 1985), introduction (95-100), text (100-18), notes (118-22)

• “The Biography of Ch’ü Yuan [Qu Yuan] and Master Chia,” in Ssu-ma Ch’ien [Sima Qian] Record of the Grand Historian, Burton Watson, trans. (Columbia, 1961) 1: 499-516

•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 1-8

2. Court Shamanism 1/27-29Book of Documents (Shang-shu)

• “The Canon of Shun,” 11-18; The Shoo King, James Legge trans. (Clarendon Press, 1892), 29-51

• Book of Songs, 209-238, 160-63, 188 [209-17]• Edward Shaughnessy, “From Liturgy to Literature,” Before Confucius: Studies in the Creation

of the Chinese Classics (SUNY, 1997), 165-95•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 9-16

3. Rites & Sacrifice 2/3-5“Ancient Chinese Pantheon” (see appendix of this syllabus)

The Book of Rites:• “The Meaning of Sacrifices,” Li Chi: Book of Rites, James Legge, trans.; Ch’u Chai and

Winberg Chai, eds. (University Books, 1967), 21: 210-235• “A Summary Account of Sacrifices,” Li Chi, Legge, trans., 22: 236-254• “The State of Equilibrium and Harmony,” Li Chi, Legge, trans., 28: 300-329• Thomas Wilson, “Sacrifice and the Imperial Cult of Confucius,” History of Religions 41 (Feb.

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2002) 3: 251-87•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 16-25

**Friday, Feb. 6: First Essay due: gods and spirits, sacrifice and shamanism

4. The Confucian School & Confucius/K’ung-tzu/Kongzi (551-479 BC) 2/10-17The Analects of Confucius, Arthur Waley, tr., 94-122• The Original Analects, Bruce Brooks, tr. (Columbia, 1998), 13-77• Confucian Analects, James Legge, tr. (Clarendon Press, 1892), 154-207• The Analects, D.C. Lau, tr. (Penguin Books, 1979), 67-131• “Biography of Confucius,” in Sima Qian, Records of the Historian, Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys

Yang, trans. (Foreign Languages Press, 1979), 1-35Supplementary reading: • The Original Analects, Bruce Brooks, tr., Appendix 1•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 26-46

5. Rites vs. Humanity 2/19• Herbert Fingarette, Confucius–The Secular as Sacred (Harper & Row, 1972), 1-56• Tu Wei-ming, “Jen* as a Living Metaphor in the Confucian Analects,” in Confucian Thought:

Selfhood as Creative Transformation (SUNY, 1985), 81-92 [*Jen = ren 仁, translated as humanity or benevolence]

Disputing the Tao I 2/24-2/26 Students divide into two groups – or factions – to debate the question of rites and humanity and on the meaning of the Tao as found in the Book of Rites and Analects

**Friday, Feb. 27: Second Essay due

6. Mencius/Meng-tzu/Mengzi (371-289 BC) 3/2-3/11Mencius, Bk. 1A-B, Bk. 2A, 6A, 7A• Maurizio Scarpari, “The Debate on Human Nature in Early Confucian Literature,” Philosophy

East & West 53 (July 2003) 3: 323-339 (Electronic Journals on Library web page)• Ning Chen, “The Ideological Background of the Mencian Discussion of Human Nature: A

Reexamination,” Mencius: Contexts and Interpretations (Hawai’i, 2002), 17-41•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 46-54

7. Hsün Tzu/Xunzi (ca. 312-238 BC) 3/30-4/1• “The Regulations of a King,” Hsün Tzu: Basic Writings, Burton Watson, trans. (Columbia,

1964), 33-55• “A Discussion of Heaven,” Hsün Tzu, Watson, trans., 79-88• “A Discussion of Rites,” Hsün Tzu, Watson, trans., 89-111• “Rectifying Names,” Hsün Tzu, Watson, trans., 139-56• “Man’s Nature is Evil,” Hsün Tzu, Watson, trans., 157-71• “Contra Twelve Philosophers,” Xunzi, A Translation and Study of the Complete Works, John

Knoblock, trans. (Stanford, 1990), 212-229•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 54-58

Disputing the Tao II 4/6-13 Students divide into factions to debate the teachings of Mencius vs. Xunzi

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**Friday, April 16: Third Essay due: Mencius vs. Hsün-tzu

8. Lao-tzu/Laozi 4/15-4/20The Classic of the Way and Virtue: Tao te ching of Laozi as Interpreted by Wang Bi• Stephen Bokenkamp, Early Daoist Scriptures, 1-27•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 59-76

9. Chuang Tzu/Zhuangzi (369-286 BC) 4/22-29Chuang Tzu: The Seven Inner Chapters, “Introduction,” 3-26“Going Rambling without a Destination,” 43-47“The Sorting which Events Things Out,” 48-61“What Matters in the Nuture of Life,” 62-65“Worldly Business among Men,” 66-75“The Teacher who is the Ultimate Ancestor,” 84-93“The Cult of Immortality,” 176-180“Below in the Empire,” 274-285• “Autumn Floods,” Chuang-tzu: Basic Writings, Burton Watson, trans. (Columbia, 1964),

96-110•R• Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 92-98

**Friday, May 3: Fourth Essay due: TaoismDisputing the Tao III 5/4-6 The final showdown between the Confucians and Taoists

Attendance is mandatory; final grade is subject to reduction by one third of a grade for every three unexcused absences. Student are expected to read the assignments very carefully and participate in class discussions with unbridled enthusiasm.

Grading criteria for class participation: I wish I could read minds so I could more accurately evaluate your actual understanding of the material. This grade, however, is based on your actual oral participation in the classroom.

Excellent (A range): frequent participation; demonstration of thorough understanding of the readings by using concrete examples in discussion; and clear evidence of critical insight into larger issues raised in the readings (i.e., issues that are not explicitly stated in the texts).

Good–very good (B range): consistent participation showing sound grasp of the readings by using concrete examples with critical assessment of the sources.

Satisfactory (C range): participation that shows an understanding of the readings. Poor (D range): infrequent to rare participation that suggests hasty or inattentive reading of the

sources. Failing: physical presence in the classrooom.

Final course grade determined on the basis of the following:regular class participation 20%debates (3) 20%papers (4) 60%

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The PapersThere are four writing assignments (approx. 5-6 pp.) based on the primary sources listed in

the syllabus. The use of any other sources not listed on the syllabus must be approved in advance. Web sources in the dot.com domain are to be used with extreme caution, if at all.

Your analysis of the texts in these essays must be thoughtful and your prose cogent. The essays are due in my mailbox in the history office (do not send via campus mail) by noon on the assigned date. No extentions granted for request made within 24 hours of deadline.

Revisions: Any paper that receives a grade lower than C must be revised. Each student must revise at least one essay. In both cases, the final grade for the assignment is determined by the average of the original and revised grades. Revisions need to move significantly beyond the original argument, either in conception or use of evidence. Revisions that only correct mistakes noted in professor’s comments on the original version will not receive a grade change.

Grading criteria: A “good” (i.e., B) essay is clearly written and logically sound. An “excellent” (i.e., A) essay presents a compelling argument for a thoughtful and imaginative interpretation of the sources based on a thorough reading and re-reading of the sources and careful reflection upon the problems raised. A compelling argument meets three criteria: (1) a clear formulation of a problem, (2) analysis of the texts under scrutiny, and (3) a scrupulous use and citation of supporting evidence from the texts (i.e. “documentation,” see below). A thoughtful interpretation requires digging beneath the surface meaning of the texts to a subtler understanding of their connections to broader contexts. A “prose” grade of C– (i.e., less than “satisfactory”) is assigned to grammatically correct but informal and stylistically weak writing; and D+ or below for repeated infractions of basic rules of writing, depending upon frequency and egregiousness of such errors.

Nota bene: Present an argument based on your own interpretation of the sources. Document your claims. Develop your ideas fully. Your most important points should be clearly stated, explicated, and documented. When you quote a passage from the sources, provide enough information so that your reader does not need to consult the source for further clarification.

A thorough understanding of a text requires reading, reflection, and re-reading. A well written paper requires editing, self-critique, and re-writing.

Don’t simply summarize the content of your sources. Don’t assume that any major point you want to make is self-evident. In using evidence to support your argument, don’t assume that the facts speak for themselves.

Documentation: You must cite all sources of information used, even if you don’t quote a source directly. Cite relevant pages when you refer to specific passage in the text. Cite exact page numbers of any source from which you quote directly, although it is rarely necessary to cite the same source more than once in the same paragraph. Use proper citation forms (i.e., footnotes, end notes, in-text parenthetical notes) as described in the Hamilton College Style Sheet. Be consistent in the citation format used.

If you do not cite the sources from which you derive information, or on which you base your description of an event, or interpretation of an idea, etc., the implication is that the idea is your own, or that it is based on your own primary research. Failure to cite such sources is plagiarism.

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China’s TimelineHigh Antiquity

Yao 堯, reigned 2357-2255 BCE

Shun 舜, r. 2255-2205 BCE

Ancient ChinaXia 夏, ca. 21st-16th century BCE

Shang 商, 1700-1027 BCE

Western Zhou 西周, 1027-771 BCE classical feudalism

king & feudal lordsEastern Zhou 東周, 770-221 BCE

Spring and Autumn 春秋, 770-476 BCE hundred schoolsLaozi/Lao-tzu, Zhuangzi/Chuang-tzu, Kongzi/K’ung-tzu/Confucius

Warring States 戰國, 475-221 BCEMengzi/Meng-tzu/

Mencius, Xunxzi/Hsün-tzu

Early Imperial ChinaQin 秦, 221-207 BCE The First EmperorWestern Han 西漢, 206 BCE-9 CEXin (Wang Mang) 新, 9-24 CEEastern Han 東漢, 25-220Three Kingdoms 三國, 220-280Western Jin 西晉, 265-316Eastern Jin 東晉, 317-420

Southern and Northern Dynasties 南北朝, 420-588

Middle Imperial ChinaSui 隋, 581-

Tang 唐, 618-907Five Dynasties & Ten Kingdoms

Five Dynasties 五代, 907-960Ten Kingdoms 十國, 907-979

Liao 遼, 916-1125

Late Imperial ChinaNorthern Song 北宋, 960-1127Southern Song 南宋, 1127-1279Western Xia 西夏, 1038-1227Jin 金, 1115-1234

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Yuan 元, 1279-1368 Ming 明, 1368-1644Qing 清, 1644-1911

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Ancient Chinese Pantheon

Level & Deity Type of sacrificeGreat Sacrifice 大祀

Heaven 天 or Lofty Heaven Lord on High 昊天上帝 smoke 禋

Earth 地示 ditto

Secondary Sacrifice 次祀

Soils and Grains 社稷 buried 貍沈

five sacrifices 五祀

five sacred peaks 五嶽

sun & moon 日月 bonfire 實祡

stars 星辰

mountains & forests 山林

rivers & lakes 川澤

Minor Sacrifice 小祀

master of talent & accomplishment 司中 stacked wood fire 槱燎

master of fate 司命 ditto

master of wind 風師

master of rain 雨師four directions 四方spirits of the hundred animals 百物

Based o

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n the Rites of Zhou. Zhouli zhushu 周禮注疏, comp. Jia Gongy

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an 賈公顏, in Shisan jing zhushu 十三經注疏 (2 vols., compiled 1

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816. Ed. Ruan Yuan 阮元. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1980)

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, 18.119-20; 19.130.

Commentaries on the Zhou Li ide

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ntify the five sacrifices as the five phases 五行, the de

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ities of the five colors 五色之帝, or the spirits of the five

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officers 五官之神. Commentaries on the Liji (“Quli,” 2) id

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entify them as the gods of the door 戶, stove 灶, center pi

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llar 中霤, gate 門, and well 井; they are identified as sacri

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fices of the Yin/Shang era.

Name of the fifth star in t

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he Wenchang constellation said to determine talent a

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nd accomplishments.

Name of a star in the Wenchang co

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nstellation said to determine fate.